Looking for Spain - the beginning

Morning started early, as early it could be. The sun was not yet up when we had our breakfast and soon after the sun shined a light on, we were on the road, on the way to discover the lost trails of Spain.

Up the mountains we went, north. And further north we went, passing the misty mountains, the green high hills and finally the fronteer. We're in Catalonian lands now. 

Following the big snaky road heading Bilbao, we planned a stop, before the destination of the first day. Half way through, just before our lunch break, we stopped to give some food to the car, feed ourselves and stretch our legs. As to my brother, we was still asleep.

The landscape, as we head East, changed, and so did the weather. We carried on for a few more hours alongside Santiago de Compostela's way (not more than 100 meters from the main road), while seeing people walking and cycling the way we are soon to make.

Cloudy and grey. Some spits of rains from time to time. This was the climate situation when we got to Burgos. A picturesque town, cosy by the looks of it (despite the time we spent here), tranquil and smooth paced. Because of the time we had ahead of us, we weren't allowed to stay much time wandering around and about Burgos so, right after a quick walk near the main cathedral and the old side of town,  we set forth on the road.

Just before I carry on with this tale, and for those who are unfamiliar with the meaning of Burgos, this word is used to designate a comercial city, developed outside the walls of the urban, landlord settlements; they appeared around XI - XV a.C..

The word itself, Burgo, comes from the latin Burgus, which means 'small fortress, village'.

The road, always waiting for us to be with her led us, with the help or mislead of the GPS, to our destination. The arid lands of Central Spain, halfway through the country, became green again and mountains showed again to ourselves. No, after having crossed the portuguese mountains and the arid flat lands of the spanish people, they were again here to embrace us and thus and our first big spot was just behind them.

With no desire to go back, after almost a day of ridding and the green, forestry mountains to make us company, not more a long path was between us and Bilbao, were we were to stay in for two days.

Two days to give us time to rest from a journey of a bit more than 700km. When I think of it, it's not that of a distance to make. However, to remain still and confined to the same space, in a car, for an entire day, with but a few stops to stretch, and go inside again... it can become quite discomfortable and tiring, for those who can't enjoy the pace of going on, and carry on, until the very end of the day, after the sun is set. And then, give grace to the comfort of a good, good bed.

We arrived at the end of the day and everything was closed, even the Gug museum. A little walk on the surroundings and a bit of planning about the most interesting spots to visit during our stay, we remained more to ourselves than to the city and, still early in the evening all of us were resting for the incoming days!

Welcome to Bilbao!

Dark Shadows - Film out of place

The third evening of August was dedicated to the cinema. It wasn't a regular night though. O'Porto's council in partnership with Inatel organised a series of movies a series of cinema screenings from the 3rd of August until the 1st of September. Me and a few more friends had the chance to see the first night and enjoy a atypical open air session, in the middle of Crystal Palace's gardens.

For this night, they brought to us Dark Shadows, the newest motion picture by Tim Burton, that tells the story about a vampire, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Deep) who returns to his ancestral home and tries to re-establish the honour and magnificence of it's family's name and fishing empire, in a village called Colonial-era Maine. The movie is set in 1972, one hundred years after Barnabas was buried alive to spend all eternity confined to the four walls of his coffin. What he doesn't know is that since he last set foot on earth, the world has change and many things are a wonder for his eyes. Also, the woman who buried him, Angelique (Eva Green) controls the only fishing business that now controls Colonial's fishing market.

A story about love and reunion, is the cinematographic adaptation of the daytime soap that aired on ABC from 1966 until 1971.

FEST - what else?

On the first week of July, in Espinho, Portugal, film lovers had the chance to spend an entire full-on week of film activities. From workshops, masterclasses, lectures to screenings and viewings, this festival stands as one of the most prominent young film festivals in Europe.

Luckily, I had the chance to work with them. Starting from September, I was contacted by them to work on the advertisement for FEST, which consisted on the making of 3 photographs, with 3 different concepts, being each one applied to a separate section of the festival, which were Workshop, Film Screening and Social Environment. Of those the result was the following:

Even though I made 3 photographs for the festival, the organisation ended up not using the last image, maybe for it might have been a bit to strong tor the ambience of the social life of the Festival, even though the art director was very pleased with the final outcome. Anyway, not putting any client's taste, I was very pleased to work for these images and I need to thank Areias, for the paciente to be photographed and all the time spent making this!

But enough about the advertising. The Festival, whose 2012th edition lasted 5 days, was a whole bunch of happy surprises! From the warm audience, made of very enthusiastic and incredibly talented people, not only from film (both student and professionals) but also from other fields outside it, such as biology, for instance; the blend in and tranquility of the festival that, even though it is an international gathering and it brings very big names such as Scandar Copti, an oscar nominated director, Matin Walsh or Tom Stern, to name but a few and yet, the almost home environment that we can feel, while there, due to the break of stigmas or to better describe it, a felling of a break of superiority - not respect! - where both the person invited and the audience are and speak at the same level, no prejudices included. And to see this in such a lively space, how can one not enjoy seeing and talking with such grand people, where the ingredients are of such quality?

Workshops during the day, screenings and 'forró', as we sometimes call it, at night. But this is not just an excuse to stay up late and drink. It is also where people might become the most relaxed and cosy. It is where there is more room for fun - outside the working space - and socialisation, or Super Bock should review the concept of their advertisement, because what they show us is not true! (just kidding). Still, what one feels during the day, is mirrored at night, with a lot of dancing, a lot of talk as well, tiredness on people's bodies, after long days with barely no sleep, but like the majority would say 'It's FEST, what else/'

I heard about this festival two years ago, when Eduardo Serra came to this same festival to give one of his first masterclasses on his life. Unfortunately, I didn't attend it. 3 months later I was working for the same festival. What can I say about it? It's FEST, what else? :)

The Graphic

June 16, 2012

This date marked a very unique event at Kilburn High Road: what was gonna be remembered as the beginning of what can be a path as a concert/event's photographer. Let me further envolve you.

There I was, at home, after the shoot of an incredible film and a proper rest, looking at my room and my stuff and starting to organize everything for my forthcoming trip back to Porto, seing my family again, being in Porto, feeling the warmth and heat everyone around there, see the SEA and smell the saltiness in the air! All of this was going on my mind when I get a message from Laurent, inviting me to go to one of his gig's, happening at the 'The Good Ship' and photograph it' Even though he wouldn't be able to pay me for the job, we would let me in free of charge and pay a few pints.

I was about to leave London for a bunch of months. Had my backpack to be set up and the room cleaned and going out to photograph for a bunch of ours wouldn't stop me from not making what I had to do. Also, that was a part of London I hadn't been to so it was also an opportunity to see a bit more of the millons of corners of London.

And so I said yes.

Got a bit later than arrange because of the traffic in London, but also because I misunderstood the venue for another gig he was gonna throw at Camden Town. However, there was not much of a issue about that as the arranged meeting time was set for about two hours before the actual gig (for a few group shots).

As I finally arrived, and relaxed for a bit, the work started. Even though I had no predetermined idea of what kind of frames I wanted to get, it wasn't very hard to see that bricks would be a constant on the photographs I was gonna make. Quite easy to manage, a few shots were enough to make them happy. And if the client is happy, so am I!

At 9.30p.m. their gig started. Although I never had listened to their music, it wasn't to hard to know what kind of band or what gender of music they were gonna play. What I was surprised though, was the way they captivated the audience, when compared with the other bands playing there. And that, adding the photographer on stage, almost make the band feel superior (not necessarily better) to the other ones, in the sense that they are conscious about their position, as a band and know what their goals are; that there is someone interested in them rather than looking for someone to look after them.

Anyway, the pub was a bit odd, in terms of space, although I might say it is a good spot to throw some gigs and the photographs pleased the band, to the point when I was told that with the quality of the photos I was taking, it would be really easy to earn quite a lot of money out of it, which was a surprise for me, because of the lack of notion about the practiced prices.

A nice energetic venue and good time spent listening to some emerging music which we might have the chance of be listening on the radios, soon!

Wish you the best of luck!!



UPDATE: If any of you got interested on the band, please visit them on their facebook page The Graphic